Nothing To Call My Own
by daddysgirl21089
Summary: The sequel to The Child Within. Emma is loosing everything that she holds dear...
1. Chaos

Disclaimer: I don't own Degrassi, and I don't own any of its characters. Do you mind if I only put this disclaimer once? I'm not going to start owning Degrassi anytime soon.  
  
Emma ran around the house, cradling the phone in between her head and her shoulder, picking up toys, and trying to make Lisa, her one month old baby, stop crying.  
  
"Yes, Manny I know," Emma said. "I can't go...no...because Lisa...she is not some kid, she's my daughter...I know....look I'm sorry...Snake and Spike are out that's why...no I...CRAP!"  
  
Emma had just dropped the phone into a bowl of baby food. Lisa stopped crying and giggled. Then she started in right again.  
  
"AHHHHHH!!!!" Emma screamed. "WHEN WILL IT END?"  
  
Spike came in the door, back from shopping. Surveying the damage, she told Emma to go and talk on the other phone in the basement. Then she wiped off the phone that fell in the food, and gently took Lisa and rocked her back and forth. Lisa stopped crying almost immediately.  
  
"Well," Emma sighed. "I just don't have that mother gene yet."  
  
Rushing down to the basement, she picked up the phone and heard that Manny was still on the other line.  
  
"Sorry about that," Emma said.  
  
"It's okay," Manny said. "I'm used to it by now. Now, as I was saying, you so have to come to my party. It will be so great; everyone from Degrassi will be there. You and I can be the life of the party. You can even come over earlier. I will help you get ready. My parents are out of town so they won't bother us...the only reason I can have this party is because they took that "business" trip to Aruba."  
  
"Look Manny, I'm sorry, but I can't" Emma said. "Lisa is too young for a baby sitter, and Spike and Snake won't be here."  
  
"Emma," Manny whined.  
  
"Sorry," Emma said. Not wanting to hear any more complaints she said goodbye and quickly hung up the phone.  
  
She lay back on her pillows and sighed. She loved Lisa more than anything, but she also missed being a kid. It was hard being a single parent. Oh, how she hated Sean for making her single.  
  
After two weeks of caring for Emma and Lisa, Sean bailed. He called Emma up and said that he needed to be a kid, and that he had his whole life ahead of him. He said that she was to demanding, and that he was leaving her. The next day Emma had spotted him with the new girl Brianna, holding her hand and kissing her in the hallway. Fuming with anger, Emma tried to get a case making him pay child support. And although a check once a month from Sean was helping her, it wasn't the same. She still hated Sean for what he had done. She was living with the consequences, why couldn't he?  
  
Emma fell asleep and slept for an hour. When she woke up, feeling a little better, she walked back upstairs. She found Snake and Spike sitting on the couch, deeply in discussion about something.  
  
As soon as Emma entered the room, they stopped talking. Giving them a strange look as if to say, "What is going on?" she sat down slowly on the couch and looked at them expectantly.  
  
"What's up?" she asked.  
  
Spike smiled gently.  
  
"Emma," she said. "Your actions of wanting to raise your baby are very...noble...but..."  
  
"But we think that," Snake interrupted.  
  
Spike told him that she wanted to tell her.  
  
"Tell me what?" Emma shouted. "Tell me now!"  
  
"Em," Spike said quietly and way to calm. "We think that you are too young to raise a baby. At first we thought you could do it, but it is too chaotic for any of us, including you, to handle. That's why we think that you should let us take Lisa to raise as one of our own."  
  
So...how is it so far? Please give me some reviews. And feel free to criticize, I want to do everything I can to make it as good as possible. 


	2. Party

Emma stared at her parents for several moments. She couldn't believe that they were doing this. It was totally absurd. They, well mostly Spike, were the ones who at the end of her pregnancy had encouraged her to keep the baby.  
  
"What?" Emma finally said to them. "How could you ask me this? She is my baby and I want to raise her, not you!"  
  
"Em," Spike said. "We can help you. I mean, you can help us raise her. It just doesn't seem fair for her to grow up without a dad. I mean...we will raise her. And then when she and you are ready, we will tell her the truth."  
  
Emma considered this for a moment. Although she definitely wanted to raise her child, they agreed she could help them. And eventually her child would know the truth.  
  
"Well," Emma sighed. "I guess I can allow it. As long as you promise me that one day when we are both ready, you will tell her the truth I will allow it."  
  
Spike and Snake nodded.  
  
"Honey," Spike said. "We support you one hundred percent. Really, you are making the right choice."  
  
Emma nodded. Frowning, she suddenly remembered Manny's party.  
  
"Mom, dad," she said urgently. "Manny is having the most awesome party tonight. And now that I don't feel guilty watching her, do you think that you could?"  
  
Spike smiled broadly. It just so happened that they had canceled their plans for tonight because they thought that Emma would take a longer time to talk to.  
  
"Of course we can honey! You go and get yourself all pretty for the party."  
  
Emma smiled, truly, for the first time in a long time. She rushed upstairs to get some clothes and make up, and then rushed out the door to Manny's house.  
  
Manny's party was a huge success. She had everyone who was anyone in Degrassi there. Emma was in the middle of the dance floor, having the best time of her life. Now free from being a mother, she felt so free. She wanted to go wild. She and Manny had picked out the most daring outfit Emma had and put on her make up in a very becoming way. Emma danced and moved like she never had before. In the back of her mind she heard a small voice telling her that what she was doing was wrong and not very Emma like, but she ignored it. She wasn't Emma the conservative mommy, she was party girl.  
  
Dancing around, a boy she didn't recognize came up to her.  
  
"Hey," he said.  
  
Emma looked him up and down. She thought he looked kind of wild, but then remembered that she was now wild. She smiled as seductively as she knew how.  
  
"Hey," she said. "Want to dance?"  
  
The boy smiled and nodded.  
  
"By the way," he yelled over the music. "I'm Aaron."  
  
"Good to meet you!" she yelled back.  
  
They danced for a long time. They danced to both slow and fast. Aaron seemed to prefer slow dancing, but as wild as Emma was trying to be, she thought he was being too clingy. So she preferred the faster songs.  
  
After a particularly fast song, Aaron took her hand and led her off the dance floor. Emma fanned herself with her hand.  
  
"Whew," she said, no longer having to yell over the music. "It is way hot over there."  
  
Aaron leaned over too close to her, as though she couldn't hear him from where he was.  
  
"Yeah," he said slowly. "It is really hot. Want a drink?"  
  
Emma smiled, trying to act calm. Once she nodded, Aaron left to get them some beverages. Suddenly Manny spotted her from across the room and walked up to her, Paige trailing after her.  
  
They all said hello to each other.  
  
"So I told you Em. I said that you would have fun. And was I right?" Manny said.  
  
"Yes, you were right," Emma said. "I am having the time of my life! I even met a guy. He's off getting us drinks."  
  
Paige suddenly got a sick look on her face.  
  
"Emma," she said. "Have you ever met this guy before?"  
  
Emma shook her head no, but hastily told them that he was so nice and had already danced with her a lot. Paige's face did not relax.  
  
"Just be careful okay?" she said.  
  
Emma nodded, wondering what Paige meant. From across the room, someone waved at Manny and Paige and told them to get over there. Manny quickly told Emma she would see her later, and then walked off with Paige.  
  
Soon after, Aaron came back with the drinks. Emma tasted the bitter liquid and realized it was beer. She was about to tell him that she didn't drink, and then stopped herself.  
  
"Stop it Em," she told herself silently. "You're fine everything is okay. You're wild, remember? So act it, okay?"  
  
After a while of drinking and talking with Aaron, Emma began to feel sick and tired. Mostly she felt tired and totally out of it. Emma had never been drunk and told herself to loosen up; this is probably what it was like. Looking at Aaron though, she thought he looked fine, and not near as out of it as she was.  
  
"Hey," he said, seeing the condition she was in. "Let's go somewhere quiet, you don't look to good."  
  
Emma nodded, not even realizing what he said. She just wanted to sleep. She was so sick and tired. Aaron took her by the hand and led her upstairs. He brought her into a room, where he shut the door.  
  
"Better, isn't it?" he asked. He then grabbed her to him and kissed her, bruising her lips with fierce intensity. She realized what was going on and tried to pull away, but he was too strong. Finally he let go.  
  
"I need to go home now," she said.  
  
Aaron shook his head no, and grabbed her again, then pushed her on the bed. Then he raped her. 


	3. Careless

Emma slowly turned the key to her house and let herself in. She was feeling violently ill, but had to be quiet so she wouldn't wake her parents. She clutched the hairclip that was in her hair last night so tightly that it nearly drew blood. She was hurt, and scared, looking for a face in the shadows as she walked to the stairs.  
  
"Emma," she heard a voice say. Emma whirled around, terrified, until she saw her mom sitting there. Emma's muscles relaxed. All she wanted to do was to run to her mother, and stay there. She was hurt and needed comfort. But she stayed where she stood.  
  
"How was the party?" Spike asked.  
  
"The party?" Emma said. "Oh. It was great. I danced, I ate, I had fun, and you know normal party stuff. But I'm really tired I'm just going to go and take a shower and go to bed."  
  
Spike told Emma she didn't need to take a shower this late at night, but Emma pretended she didn't hear her and rushed upstairs. She felt horrible with herself. Her mom had waited up to her about the party and Emma totally blew her off. She just couldn't face her right now. She didn't want to; she was too much of a horrible person. She had acted like a slut and got what she deserved. Suddenly feeling very ill, Emma ran to the bathroom and threw up all of what was in her stomach.  
  
She then turned on the shower to steaming hot water and climbed in. She stood in the shower, not moving, just letting the water fall on her. She felt so dirty, she just wanted to feel clean. But after scrubbing herself for several minutes, she gave it up as a lost cause. She stepped out of the shower, red and raw from all the scrubbing. She quickly dried off and ran into her bedroom. She climbed into pajamas and crawled into bed. Once there, it finally all hit her and she silently cried herself to sleep.  
  
The nest morning she slept until one. She woke up periodically just to fall right back asleep, not feeling the need to wake up. It was Saturday and Emma just wanted to sleep in forever. Emma woke at one to the sound of her mother's soft knock on the door.  
  
"Em," she said. "I made waffles for breakfast and noodles for lunch. Why don't you come eat some?"  
  
This only made Emma cry harder. She couldn't even make herself meals when she was caring for Lisa. She was a horrible person. With an extra baby Spike was totally undaunted, while Emma was a failure from the beginning. She couldn't do anything right. She couldn't even go to a party without being raped.  
  
"No," Emma quietly replied. "I'm really not hungry, and I'm just tired. I danced too much last night. I just want to rest."  
  
And she did. Emma didn't get out of bed for the rest of the day, and only came out on Sunday to eat some and take another shower, once again failing to get clean.  
  
On Monday, Spike went in and felt Emma's forehead. Emma said nothing was wrong, so Spike said she had to go to school and left the room. Groaning, Emma pulled herself out of bed. She knew Aaron had hurt her bad. She felt an aching everywhere and had bruises on her body that she didn't remember getting, but they were so sore.  
  
Emma walked over to her closet and pulled out the first outfit she saw. Jeans and a black sweater. She looked at herself in the mirror and decided that it probably wouldn't make her noticeable to guys, so she wore it. She then combed her hair, not caring that it was kinky and greasy. She then used some make up to cover up the bruise on the side of her face and left the room, not bothering with any other makeup. She felt too ugly and dirty that she didn't feel the need to try and look good. Walking downstairs she grabbed her backpack, none of her homework done. Walking into the kitchen she saw her mom feeding Lisa. As tears welled up in Emma's eyes, she ran out the front door.  
  
She walked to school slowly, not caring if she was late. On the way there some boys, probably drunk sped by in a car and rolled the windows down.  
  
"Hey hot stuff, come here," one yelled as the others whistled and cat called.  
  
Emma froze, terrified. Once they sped away, she walked to a nearby wall and leaned against it. Breathing hard she recalled the party after Aaron had pushed her on the bed. He hit her over and over so she stopped resisting. He didn't care about her pleading for help or for him to stop. Finally she stood and walked the rest of the way to school.  
  
Once there Manny came rushing up.  
  
"Oh man Em," she gushed. "Was that not the best party ever? We even had the cops come in the end; it was so loud and great. Some people showed up that I didn't even know, I guess the word spread. It took my all weekend to clean up. Speaking of cleaning up, why do you look so...grungy? Oh yeah, I saw you go upstairs with that one guy! So...what happened?"  
  
Manny laughed and gave Emma a fake punch, but it really hurt. Manny made contact with a bruise. Emma yelped and glared at Manny.  
  
"What's your problem?" she yelled. "And no, nothing happened with Aaron!"  
  
With that Emma stormed off.  
  
Sorry, a really boring filler chapter. I promise the next one will be interesting. 


	4. Pills

Emma ran through the school blindly. She didn't know where her feet were taking her. She only knew that she wanted to get away from everything. Turning a sharp corner, Emma crashed into Liberty and feel to the ground. Liberty smirked at her and walked off, not even making an effort to help Emma. Grumbling, Emma got up and dusted herself off.  
  
She still hadn't forgiven Liberty for what she did. She had tried to file charges against her. But Emma had been to close to her due date and the baby wasn't harmed. So, unfortunately, Liberty had been glared at for a few weeks and gotten a stern warning, and then walked away.  
  
Emma walked to her first class, History. Emma sighed with relief. This was her easiest class; she was never called on to participate. She could just sit in the back unnoticed and blend in with the wall. And that was exactly what Emma did. About halfway through the class, Emma was doodling on a piece of blank paper when she heard to the door creak. Ignoring it and not really caring who it was, she kept on drawing and didn't raise her head.  
  
"Class," the teacher, Mr. Jones called out. "I want you to meet our new student, Aaron McCloud."  
  
Emma looked up sharply and her mouth fell open in shock. It was the Aaron, the one who had hurt her. He was looking around the class, smiling, and pretending to be innocent.  
  
"Now let's see," Mr. Jones said. "Um, oh there's an empty seat. And it's right by Emma. Emma please raise your hand."  
  
Emma was furious with herself. Not wanting to be seen or noticed, she chose a seat next to an empty one. Slowly, she raised her trembling hand. Aaron grinned and walked over to her. The class, not knowing anything was wrong, continued gossiping and supposedly taking notes.  
  
"So," Aaron said quietly. "The party was great, wasn't it? We should get together sometime again."  
  
Feeling sick again, Emma raised her hand. Then without waiting to be called on she grabbed her bag and rushed out of the room. She ran all the way home, except when she paused, retching dry since there was no food in her stomach. She walked into her house flushed and sweaty. When she walked in her mom looked up.  
  
"Emma what are you doing home?" she asked.  
  
Emma said she was sick and instead of listening to what else her mother had to say, she ran upstairs and locked herself in her room. She curled up on her bed and cried.  
  
"You are so pathetic," she said to herself. "Stop crying! It's your fault that this happened so stop feeling so sorry for yourself. You have to keep going on with life."  
  
Emma looked over to her dresser and saw a tub of Tylenol.  
  
"No, actually life doesn't have to keep going," a small voice said in the back of her head. Emma reached over and grabbed the tub, and then swallowed as many pills as she could. She lay down on her bed, waiting for the pills to take their course. Then, she heard her mother knocking on the door.  
  
"Em?" she asked. "I brought you some soup and tea. I thought you might want something to eat. So, I'll just leave it here. I love you Em."  
  
And with that she left, unaware of the impact she had on Emma. Emma jumped up, wondering what she was thinking. Sure, life was bad, but there were still those that loved her and she couldn't let them down. Aaron had tried to ruin her life, but he wouldn't win. Emma would come out on top once again, and run her own life. Emma ran down the hall and knelt down by the toilet. She then made herself throw up until she thought all the pills were gone.  
  
Later she walked downstairs. She had taken a shower and actually was smiling (or trying to).  
  
"Hey," Spike said. "Are you feeling better?"  
  
"You have no idea," Emma said.  
  
Okay then. I hope that was better than the last one. And in case anyone was wondering where I got my ideas, I actually didn't get them from a magazine. Actually, my mom is a counselor like Ms. Suave, and works at a high school. She has to watch these videos on how to help people in those situations, and I heard this one girl talking about how her parents took her baby in and raised it as their own until she was ready to know the truth. It was the saddest movie I have ever seen. But anyways, that's where I got most of my ideas. And I'm sorry to those who don't like how this happening, since it already happened to Paige. But the story is not going to have a lot about the rape in it. Now she will move on to different issues. Please review! 


	5. Caught

Emma wandered through the days in a series of ups and downs. Sometimes she would feel fine, and at others she felt horrible, especially in History. She would always arrive late to avoid sitting by Aaron, but just being in the same room as him was unnerving and nauseating at times.  
  
Emma continued to stay distant from all the guy friends she once had. J.T. and Toby were practically strangers to here these days. She had a phobia of them; that once she would go near them they might touch her, something she did not want to happen. Emma would brush past them in the hallways, and lift her hand as a greeting when they made eye contact with her.  
  
One day Emma was at her locker, looking for the book for her next class. Not finding it she stood up and sighed with frustration. Suddenly her locker shut. Emma whirled around terrified, and found herself face to face with J.T.  
  
Emma scowled at him and nearly slapped him, but decided against it. She knelt back down and kept looking through her locker as J.T. laughed.  
  
"You should have seen your face," he hooted.  
  
"Shut up," Emma growled.  
  
"Oh you know it was funny. So how are you doing?"  
  
Emma shrugged and still didn't look at him.  
  
"Emma, why are you always ignoring us?" J.T. asked in an angry voice.  
  
Emma completely ignored him, not wanting to talk to him or look at him.  
  
"You know," J.T. said. "I don't know that much about girls, but this is the longest case of P.M.S I have ever seen!"  
  
J.T. stormed off leaving Emma at her locker. She rolled her eyes at how naïve he was, then gasped and leaned into her locker. P.M.S? She hadn't gotten her period since Aaron raped her. She should have gotten it two and a half weeks ago. Emma felt ill. She couldn't be pregnant, not again. She just couldn't. She had failed at being a mother once. And what would her parents say?  
  
School went by in a blur. Emma didn't remember anything she had learned, and didn't really care. She just wanted to get home. Finally the last period bell rang, and Emma was free to go. Walking home she passed a drug store. She decided what she had to do and walked in.  
  
As she walked in the doors a wave of cool air hit her from the air conditioned store. This was the same store she had bought the other test, the one that confirmed that she was pregnant with Lisa. Emma walked to the doomed aisle and selected a test. She then walked to the front of the store to get in line for a cashier. Surveying the front, she saw no one in line. Good. She didn't want to see anyone she knew and have to explain why she was there. Taking a step forward she heard a voice.  
  
"Emma?" it asked.  
  
Emma turned slowly and found herself face to face with Ms. Kwan. Emma gasped and dropped the test to the floor with a soft thud.  
  
"Ms. Kwan! What are you doing here?" Emma asked.  
  
Ms. Kwan held up some dry board markers.  
  
"All of mine were running dry so I figured I should pick some up before tomorrow. Oh, here, you dropped something," Ms. Kwan said, bending down and picking up the test. Emma made a snatch for it, but it was too late.  
  
Ms. Kwan picked up the box and looked at it briefly. Her eyes widened and then reduced as she handed it to Emma.  
  
"Oh that?" Emma laughed. "It's not for me; it's for...my mom! She thinks she might be having another child but is too busy to come and get it so she asked me to come and get it for her."  
  
Ms. Kwan smiled and nodded, and then walked off. After making her purchase, she turned and gave Emma another wave and walked out of the store. Emma slowly let out a breath of air. Ms. Kwan seemed to have bought the story. Emma's heart was still pounding. She looked up to the one register open.  
  
"Oh no," she groaned. The one cashier was a young man, not much older than her. Emma groaned again. How was she going to do this? There was no other cashier open because it was so slow right then. The young man was staring at Emma, waiting for her to come forward and make her purchase. Finally Emma walked up and put the box on the counter. Not wanting to say anything she simply looked up at the shelves of candy bars as he rang up her purchase. As soon as he was done, Emma grabbed the bag and bolted from the store as she shoved it in her purse.  
  
Emma walked home as quickly as she could. Her mom was in the kitchen and didn't see Emma come in. Emma ran to the bathroom. Soon she had the test ready and set the timer for four minutes. She paced the room as she waited. She wasn't pregnant. But if she was...what would she do? Could she keep this one? Should she abort? Although abortion was wrong, what would happen if Emma was pregnant again? How could Emma hide it from her mom? She might be kicked out. She hoped with all her might that the small dot was blue. Pink means pregnant, blue meant no. She repeated this in her head until she heard the timer go off. She slowly walked to the counter and picked up the test.  
  
She covered her mouth with her hand and fell to her knees on the floor, crying once she saw the blue dot on the test.  
  
Emma sat there for several minutes crying. She was so incredibly lucky. She said a quick prayer of thanks and got up. She threw the test away and walked to her room, where she changed into some comfortable clothes and brushed her hair, and then walked downstairs to get a quick snack. Walking to the kitchen she passed her mom sitting on the stairs.  
  
"Emma," she said.  
  
In her hands was the pregnancy test. 


	6. Progress

Emma's mom looked at Emma, waiting for her to say something. Emma looked at her mother, waiting for her to say something also. Finally Spike spoke.  
  
"So," she said. "You're not pregnant. But would you mind telling me what you are doing with one of these? What were you thinking? Didn't you learn from what happened last time?"  
  
Emma then surprised her mother by bursting into tears.  
  
"I'm so-o-o-ry," she sobbed. "I just...he hurt me...I was afraid!"  
  
Spikes hardened face turned into one of concern.  
  
"Honey?" she said. "Someone hurt you? What do you mean? Were you...raped?"  
  
Unable to answer Emma just nodded, burying her face in her hands. She was a shame to the family. She had a baby and paraded around acting like a slut, and this was what she got. It was all her fault. With each thought, Emma sobbed harder and harder. Finally Spike came and put her arms around Emma.  
  
"I'm so sorry," she said. "I had no idea. You never told us. I'm sorry. But I wish you would have let me know, I could have helped you. This isn't something you should have to deal with alone, no one should be alone."  
  
Emma felt so bad. She knew that she shouldn't have acted like a slut, and that had gotten what she deserved. She was so lucky to have parents that would actually forgive her.  
  
"We should go to a counselor," Spike said.  
  
Emma drew back sharply.  
  
"No!" she said. "I don't want people to know what happened. It will just make everything worse. Just knowing that you don't blame me is enough, really. I don't want to go and talk to some complete stranger about my mistakes and all my woes. And promise that you won't tell Snake."  
  
"I don't know," Spike said. "He is your step dad. I'll have to see."  
  
Emma nodded, understanding what Spike meant. Snake was her dad, and he had a right to know as long as he didn't tell anyone else. Emma wiped her tears and gave her mother another hug, then walked to the kitchen for a snack.  
  
Everything seemed to get better after that. Spike was always there to support Emma, and Lisa was too, sort of. Emma began to interact with her friends, although she still flinched whenever someone touched her. Emma went to the office at school and changed her history class. Once she did, she rarely saw Aaron. Her slipping grades returned to the normal A's. She truly was traveling the road to recovery.  
  
Lisa and Emma grew closer together than before. Emma still cared for her, but Spike was the mother figure, for both of them.  
  
One day at the mall Emma was shopping and carefully going through a rack of glasses. She found the ones she liked best and tried them on. She narrowed them down to two. She tried them both on and still couldn't decide.  
  
"I like the black ones better," said a voice from behind her.  
  
Emma turned around and found herself face to face with J.T. He was smiling as usual, and Emma returned the smile. After purchasing the black sunglasses, Emma and J.T. walked down to the food court and purchased some Chinese food, then sat and ate together.  
  
"So," Emma said after they had talked about the usual things for a while. "How are things with you and Manny?"  
  
"They're not," he said. "We just weren't right for one another, so we broke it off and she gave me the "lets be friends" line. But for once it was okay."  
  
Emma laughed. She always had a feeling that J.T. and Manny simply weren't meant to be, and she had been right.  
  
"So, um, I was wondering," J.T. said. "Do you maybe want to go with a movie to me tonight? I mean...go to a movie with me tonight?"  
  
Emma grinned and said that she would love to. J.T. and her talked for another while and then finished their food. They then walked out of the mall and walked towards the movie theatre.  
  
"Wow, J.T. has really grown up," Emma thought. "Why haven't we been friends lately? Oh, yeah. I was a total jerk."  
  
"J.T.," she whispered so she wouldn't disturb the other watching the movie.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I acted. And thanks for still wanting to hang out with me," Emma said.  
  
J.T. looked over and smiled, and then took her hand.  
  
And Emma didn't flinch.  
  
Okay that's it for now. Tell me what you think so far. And also:  
  
JaslovesSean: Thanks for all the good reviews. I don't have your e-mail message so I can't email you, but if you send it to me I will write you back.  
  
amber1134-thank you for all the good suggestions.  
  
Bell011-thank you for reviewing and all of your ideas.  
  
Neviegirl-thank you for reviewing, I will continue.  
  
yusuf-mumtaz- thanks for the reviews and ideas.  
  
Yelak-thanks for such great reviews  
  
Kenshin'sLuver51593-thank you for the reviews. I updated!  
  
ShootingStar238-thanks for the great reviews. I have started reading your stories and they are great! Oh yeah, and the way your name and title of your story connect is really cute!  
  
SeanLuvr-Thanks for the great reviews.  
  
Sh0rTy003- thanks for reviewing.  
  
Mel16-thank you for reviewing and for your suggestions  
  
SargeCruz- thank you for such nice reviews  
  
smoothNcreamy- thanks for reviewing. Yeah, I really wish Liberty could die at times too.  
  
dare2breathe- thank you! I tried to make it realistic so its good to know that you thought it was.  
  
writer11bee-thanks for reviewing  
  
satc-xfiles-wg- thanks for the reviews! And yes, please do review even if the story is complete! I love reviews!  
  
TwentyFirstCenturyHippieChick- thanks for all of your wonderful reviews! I love your screenname! And your story!  
  
Reaper of Truth- thanks for criticism, it makes me a better writer. However, I wonder why you read the whole story AND part of the sequel if you thought it was so stupid.  
  
Sorry if I forgot anyone. And I just wanted to say that I do read each and every review I ever get. So please do review me! I love reviews, and I love knowing that people like my writing. I promise to update ASAP! 


	7. Confusion

Nine years into the future...  
  
Emma was doing great. She was studying to be a doctor at Washington, D.C., and she was still going out, very steadily, with J.T. She went home to see Lisa, Jack, Snake and her mom as often as she could. It was the end of the year, and Emma was taking her exams.  
  
After a particularly hard exam in English, Emma lay down her pencil and leaned back to think. She thought she had done alright on all of her exams, but they were so time consuming. She hadn't gone out with J.T. in two weeks. Well, they met at a fast food restaurant on Sunday, but the rest of the time Emma locked herself in her room, studying. If she passed all her tests well, she only had three years of school left before she could begin working as a licensed doctor.  
  
Looking at her watch, Emma jumped and grabbed her things. She was supposed to have met J.T. five minutes ago at the pizza place across the street. She grabbed her remaining items and threw them in her purse, then tore from the building. She got to the pizza place in two minutes flat, totally out of breath. Looking around she spotted J.T. standing by a gumball machine.  
  
"Hey," she said, giving him a quick kiss. "I was in a really hard exam and it took forever. Ready to order?"  
  
Emma started to walk over to the counter but J.T. grabbed her hand.  
  
"Oh no," he said. "We are celebrating the end of your exams. I made reservations at The Plaza. So lets go. Fancy places like that don't like it when you're late."  
  
Emma laughed as he dragged her to his car. He was always doing cute little things to surprise her. For her last birthday he rented a hot air balloon and they had a picnic as they floated over Washington. Goodness knows he had enough money to pay for it, too. J.T. had become a computer engineer and developed a new piece of software that saved everything on the computer, even if it crashed. He quickly became very rich. But, as Emma told him repeatedly, money meant nothing. She would have loved him even if he was broke.  
  
J.T. and Emma drove along talking about her school for a while, and then they arrived at the plaza. It was a fancy restaurant, although they were not required to dress up too much. J.T. requested a private table outside overlooking the Whitehouse and they settled down to eat.  
  
"So," J.T. said. "Are you excited to get home?"  
  
"Oh, absolutely," Emma said. "I can't wait to see everyone. Most people will be done with college or just finishing up, so I hope all our friends will be there. Luckily my favorite person moved down to Washington with me."  
  
J.T. smiled.  
  
"I assume you mean me," he said.  
  
"No, I meant my cat, Annabelle," Emma said jokingly.  
  
J.T. and Emma talked about school for a little while longer. Once Emma graduated, she was going to definitely be a pediatrician. She loved being around little kids. Especially Lisa. Emma hadn't seen her in a while. She still didn't know that Emma was her real mother.  
  
"So are you going to tell her this time?" J.T. asked.  
  
"Yes," Emma nodded. "Me and mom talked it over, and we decided that ten is a good age to tell her. I just hope that she doesn't hate me."  
  
"No one could hate you," J.T. said.  
  
Emma and J.T. finished eating and then went to Emma's dorm to get her stuff. J.T. had already loaded his stuff into the trunk from his own apartment. They filled the car with gas and snacks and started the long drive back home.  
  
Finally they drove up to Emma's house, and J.T. helped her to unload her things. He gave her a kiss and promised to come and take her around tomorrow at ten. After watching him drive off, Emma gathered her bags and walked up to the door. She hesitated a second to savor the good feeling of being home, and rang the doorbell. Spike opened the door.  
  
"Emma!" she yelled. "Oh, my gosh you said you weren't coming until Sunday! I can't believe you're here! Oh here let me help you with your bags."  
  
As Emma followed her mom into the house she sensed something was wrong. The house was too quiet, and her mom was a little too cheerful, like she had to force the happiness of seeing Emma. However, Emma tried to pretend that nothing was wrong. As she passed the living room she looked in and saw Lisa sitting on the couch.  
  
"Lisa!" she said. "Hi! Come here and give me hug!"  
  
Instead of doing that, Lisa glared at Emma, and then jumped up and stormed right past her as tears welled up in her eyes. Emma, confused and worried, looked at her mom for some clue as to what was going on.  
  
"Oh, Emma," Spike said. "You shouldn't have found out right now. But...Lisa was going through some boxes in the basement earlier, and she found some things that she should not have found. She found her birth certificate. Emma, she knows you're her mom." 


	8. Proposal

"How," Emma said flatly. "Could you let her go through the boxes down there?"  
  
"Well, I told her to go get a can of corn from the pantry down there, and when I went down to see what was taking her so long...it was too late," Spike explained.  
  
"Crap," Emma said. "Crap. This wasn't supposed to happen, not yet. I was supposed to tell her. Besides I was going to tell you that maybe we should wait until she's a little older. Oh crap, I don't know what to do. I'm going to go talk to her."  
  
Emma walked upstairs and knocked gently on Lisa's door. She listened and didn't hear an answer, so she walked into the room. She found Lisa crying on the bed.  
  
"Hey, Lisa," Emma said. "How are you doing? Oh sorry...stupid question. But really, what's going on? Are you okay? Tell me how you feel."  
  
Lisa looked up and glared at her sister. Well, actually her mom. Lisa was so confused she didn't know what to think.  
  
"You!" she said. "You...want to know what I think. Since when the heck do you care what I think, how I feel, or even who I am? I mean, how do you think it feels to find out that your life is a lie, and to find it out in a very bad way? HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME?"  
  
"I know, I know," Emma said. She held up a hand as Lisa started to talk. "Let me explain. I was young a naïve. And I got pregnant. I was a horrible mother. So my mom and I decided to let you be raised by her. That way you could grow up with a responsible, capable mother figure. I'm sorry, but I just wasn't ready. But, now you've grown up with two wonderful parents and a wonderful life. I could never have done so much for you. I really did make the right choice."  
  
"What?" Lisa said. "You made the right choice? How can you say that? Was the choice to get pregnant at the age you were at a good choice?"  
  
"That wasn't my choice!" Emma yelled.  
  
"Oh yeah? Well I think that being a slut and sleeping with someone was your choice!" Lisa yelled back.  
  
Emma flinched, hurt by what Lisa had said. But she was right. It was her choice to get pregnant, technically. It was her choice of actions that gave her a child, and she took the easy way out and lied to her. She was like Sean. She abandoned her child because "she had her whole life in front of her".  
  
"I'm sorry," Emma said quietly. "I know....I know that what I did was wrong, and I know that I can never truly make it up to you. But please, can't you give me chance to try and make it up? Can we still be friends, like sisters?"  
"I have to think about it," Lisa said, and walked from the room.  
  
Emma fell back onto the bed and sighed. This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. She heard the front door slam and looked out of the window to see Lisa striding down the street.  
  
"She had better not be out too late," Emma thought. "Oh, my gosh. I sound just like my mom."  
  
Emma looked at the clock and sat up. She had a date with J.T. in an hour. She went and took a shower, and then put on one of her favorite outfits, a knee length black and white skirt with a black shirt that was off one shoulder. She then put on her makeup and walked downstairs to wait for J.T. He soon arrived and handed her a bouquet of red roses, her favorite.  
  
"Whoa," he said, looking at her. "You look absolutely amazing. And I love your hair up like that."  
  
Emma had curled her hair and put it up in a mass of curls on top of her head. She blushed and thanked him for the roses. She then went and put them in some water, and then they left the house. They drove around looking at several places, and ate at the Dot. They reminisced about old times, and talked about the good times they were planning to have.  
  
"So," J.T. asked. "Did you tell Lisa about the situation?"  
  
"Well," Emma hesitated. She didn't want to drop this load of bad news on J.T. right now. Not on this wonderful night. "No, we haven't told her yet."  
  
Finally at their last stop, Emma and J.T. pulled up to their old Degrassi School.  
  
"Wow," Emma said, thinking of how long it had been. "Amazing."  
  
"You most certainly are," J.T. said. Emma smiled and playfully pushed him in the shoulder. He laughed and then sobered up.  
  
"Seriously, Emma, you are amazing. You are the most amazing, best, and wonderful thing that has ever happened to me."  
  
J.T. then reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, black box. He dropped to his knee and popped the box open. Emma gasped as her gaze fell upon the most beautiful ring she had ever seen.  
  
"And that is why I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Emma, will you marry me?" 


	9. Creeping

Emma looked back and forth from the ring in J.T.'s hand to his face. She then burst into tears and covered her mouth.  
  
"Ohyerthupnaha," she said, or something that sounded like it.  
  
"What?" J.T. asked nervously, the box in his hand slipping around. His palms were sweating bullets, he was so nervous. Had he been right to ask Emma, and to ask her tonight?  
  
"I said, of course I will marry you! I love you so much," Emma then burst into a fresh round of tears, as J.T. wondered if this was good or bad. "I'm...just so ha-a-a-py!"  
  
J.T. smiled and kissed her. They remained at Degrassi School for about fifteen more minutes, savoring the wonderful moment as Emma tried to catch the moonlight on her beautiful ring. They then climbed into J.T.'s Jaguar, and took off. They got late a lot later than they expected, and when they pulled up to Emma's house Spike was waiting for them.  
  
"Well, you certainly were out long," she said.  
  
"It's all Emma's fault," J.T. said. "Look what she got stuck on her finger."  
  
J.T. held up Emma's hand and Spike walked over for a closer look. She gasped when she figured out what it was.  
  
"My little girl, she's getting married! Oh my gosh! I can't believe it!" she beamed.  
  
J.T., Emma, and her mom all walked into the house and enjoyed a glass of champagne in celebration. Snake walked downstairs to see what all the commotion was about, and wrapped Emma in a huge hug once he found out. He then gave J.T. a very firm handshake.  
  
"Well, I can't believe it," he said. "The old class clown and my smarty pants daughter. I certainly never would have dreamed up this combination in school!"  
  
They all stayed up talking about the wedding for several hours. Spike looked at the clock and told them all that it was four in the morning, and that they should probably all get some rest.  
  
"Wait, where's Lisa? Maybe we should wake her up before J.T. leaves and tell her the news," Emma said.  
  
"Actually Lisa is spending the night at a friends house. She's getting to that age where she is Miss Social Butterfly," Spike said.  
  
"Oh," said Emma, slightly disappointed. "Well I guess we have to tell her tomorrow then. Goodnight Mom. Night dad."  
  
Emma then walked to the porch to say goodbye to J.T. They held to each other for a while, never wanting the night to end. Then they shared one final kiss and Emma watched him as he drove off into the night.  
  
Emma walked into the house floating on air. After taking a quick shower, she climbed into bed. She awoke the next morning to find that it was eight-o-clock. She lay in her bed for a moment when she heard some yelling coming from downstairs. Slipping into a robe, Emma crept downstairs. Sitting on the stairs, she looked into the family room.  
  
"How could you do something so stupid?!?" she heard Spike say.  
  
"It wasn't stupid. I had a right to know!" Lisa said. Emma noticed she was sporting a purplish lump on her forehead. Tightening her robe, Emma walked the rest of the way downstairs and into the living room.  
  
"What is going on?" she asked.  
  
Lisa opened her mouth to say something, but Spike but her off.  
  
"Instead of going to sleep over at a friends house last night, Lisa went and took a train to Wasaga beach. She found the name of her dad on her birth certificate. She went and found Sean Cameron!" Spike yelled. 


	10. Preparing

"You went and saw Sean?" Emma asked. "What ever would prompt you to do something so stupid?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that he's my DAD!" Lisa said, annoyed.  
  
Emma massaged her forehead. Obviously fighting was going to get them nowhere, and so they had to talk this out rationally. Besides, Lisa was starting to remind Emma of someone who also had gone to look for their real dad without permission once.  
  
"Lisa," Emma began. "Sean has had nothing to do with you for almost ten years. He left us when he said he would stay! He doesn't deserve to be your dad. He hated us...and you. I'm sorry, but that's the way it is. I needed him, and he bailed and took the easy way out. So maybe now you can be concerned about your real dad, the one who had always been there for you!"  
  
Lisa had stood up to fight, but sunk back down.  
  
"He left us? He...hated us?" she asked meekly.  
  
Emma nodded.  
  
"I am so sorry, but that is the way things went. He said he had his whole life ahead of him and couldn't be an adult yet. Me, I didn't have a choice. But I wouldn't have traded you for anything," Emma said.  
  
"Thanks for that," Lisa said. "Sean was a total creep anyways. He was totally wasted, and that's how I got this bruise. He shoved me a little harder than he meant to, I guess, and I fell. Then he said that I wasn't his daughter, and that he wasn't a dad. Then he slammed the door in my face. Um, is there any chance he isn't my dad?"  
  
"No. I mean, he definitely is your father. Let's just say that to get pregnant; you have to do certain things. And I only did those things with him, and no one else," Emma said.  
  
"Okay," Lisa said slowly. "And, I really have to say I'm sorry. I was a jerk. And I'm sorry. I was just shocked. So I hope you forgive me...mom."  
  
Lisa made a face.  
  
"How weird is it calling my sister mom, and now my mom grandma?" she asked.  
  
The months flew by as J.T. and Emma planned their wedding. It took their blood sweat and tears, in a manner of speaking. Especially their tears.  
  
"I can't believe it," Emma said, after an argument with J.T. over the guest list. "Being engaged shows that you love each other enough to spend your life together. But this is the most that we have ever fought."  
  
"Wedding planning takes a lot of stress. I remember planning my wedding with Snake. It was so hectic, and I just wanted to die."  
  
Emma and Spike did most of the planning while J.T. and Snake hung around in the background, not really involved. Emma had stopped taking Snakes idea once he suggested that the wedding colors be brown and orange, and J.T. kept saying that they should just go to a drive through in Vegas. So Emma and Spike only wanted to plan. J.T.'s mother had passed away several years ago, so she wasn't involved, obviously. Lisa tried to help but was too young to really do anything significant.  
  
One night while Emma and Spike were taking a break and watching Jeopardy, Emma burst into tears.  
  
"I can't wait another month and a half. Maybe we SHOULD just elope, like J.T. says. It is too much stress. I just want it to be over. Weddings should be happy and not so stressful!" she said.  
  
"Only on T.V. are weddings ever perfect, Em," Spike said. "When I was engaged, my hormones were all screwed up since I was pregnant. At least you aren't pregnant."  
  
With that comment, Emma burst into a fresh round of tears, and shook her head.  
  
"Oh no, not again," said Lisa and Spike. 


	11. Could it be?

"Oh, no," Spike said. "You aren't pregnant again...are you?"  
  
"No, I'm not pregnant," Emma said. "Just all of the stress, and when you said that it reminded me of what a horrible mother I was."  
  
"Oh dear," Spike said. "Well, I'm sorry. But don't ever do that again. I thought you were pregnant! Don't scare me like that!"  
  
"Sorry," Emma said.  
  
And so as time went by, Emma and her mom kept on planning, and Emma kept freaking out over every little thing that was going wrong or had the possibility of going wrong.  
  
Finally the day came where Emma and her mom went wedding gown shopping. They chose the best looking place in the mall, a Bridal Bliss store. They spent hours trying on every dress they could find that they liked.  
  
"How about this one?" Spike said, holding up a dress as wide as Emma was tall.  
  
"Ugh," Emma said. "No. I would look way too puffy and way too much like an idiot. How about this one?"  
  
Emma held up a slinky, lower than low cut dress that went straight down with no poof at all.  
  
"No way is any daughter of mine getting married looking like that," Spike said.  
  
"Fine," Emma said. "Crud. We have been here for hours and we still can't find one single decent dress."  
  
Just then a saleswoman came sauntering up, beaming broadly.  
  
"I couldn't help overhearing your predicament," she said. "And, I think I have the solution."  
  
She reached deep into a rack and pulled out a very plain dress with a modest neckline, a bit of lace on the bottom, and that poofed out just a bit as a pooled down to the ground.  
  
"Well," Emma said. "It is...nice. But it's a bit plain. Not really my style."  
  
"Oh, try it on honey," Spike said. "It won't hurt."  
  
So Emma walked into the dressing room, rolling her eyes and sighing. There was no point in trying this dress on, it was way too plain. There was nothing to it. But, obeying her mother, Emma slipped it on. She then turned around and looked at herself in the mirror.  
  
"Wow," she said.  
  
It looked exquisite on her. However plain it might be, it was gorgeous on her. It gave her a great figure and pooled down to the floor just right. The only problem was the veil. Emma did not like it at all, it was way too puffy. However, she had already decided that she was only going to wear a tiara, and no veil. Emma stepped out of the dressing room and twirled around.  
  
Spike oohed and ahhed appropriately, and told Emma that she looked wonderful.  
  
"So," said the saleswoman, with an even bigger smile on her face. "Shall I wrap that up for you?"  
  
"Yes please," Emma said.  
  
She then went into the room again and took the dress off. Handing it to the saleswoman, she kept thinking that there was something familiar about her.  
  
"This is a gorgeous dress," Emma said as the woman wrapped it up.  
  
"Thank you," she said. "I made it. I make many of the dresses that we sell here, since I own it."  
  
"Wow! That's very impressive. Well, this is going to sound weird, but do I know you?" Emma asked.  
  
The saleswoman face nearly split in two as she smiled.  
  
"I was wondering what would take you so long to recognize me!" she said. "It's me, Manny!"  
  
"Oh my gosh," Emma said. "Manny!" 


	12. Planning

"Manny!" Emma said. "Wow. You look great."  
  
"So do you," Manny gushed. "So, who's the lucky guy who you are buying this dress for? I mean...well you know."  
  
"Actually," Emma laughed. "J.T. and I are getting married!"  
  
"Well," Manny said. "No kidding."  
  
"Nope," Emma said. She looked at her watch. "Oh gosh, I have got to go. I have an appointment with the caterer. But you and I should meet for lunch. Tomorrow at one, at the Olive Garden?"  
  
"Sure," Manny said.  
  
Emma dashed off, not noticing that Manny looked completely jealous. Oh yes, she would meet them for lunch, and she would do more than that. She would finally get revenge on J.T. for breaking her heart. She had plans.  
  
HA HA HA!!! The shortest chapter. Sorry I am so busy I can't write more but I will update soon! 


	13. Crushed

Emma and J.T. sat at the Olive Garden. J.T. gazed at Emma from across the candle lit table and smiled, and then reached over and took her hand.  
  
"So," he said. "Finally we are alone with out having to plan for the wedding. It's nice, huh? Especially the alone part."  
  
"Well," Emma said. "It won't be that way for long. I invited a friend to join us."  
  
"Oh," J.T. said, slightly disappointed. He and Emma hadn't spent much time alone lately, and he missed just spending time with her. "Do I know who it is?"  
  
"You could say that, I guess," Emma said.  
  
Right then Manny came sauntering up to the table. If there was one word to describe how she looked, it would have to be sluttish. She was wearing a bright red dress which was cut as low as low can get, and couldn't have been much shorter it she wanted it to be. She also was wearing high red stilettos along with makeup that was deliberately put on to make her as mysterious and daring as it got.  
  
"Hi Emma!" she said, sliding into the booth next to J.T. "Oh, hi J.T."  
  
She slid as close as she could to J.T. and clasped his hand in hers.  
  
"It is so wonderful to see you," she said. "You look wonderful."  
  
"Uh...hum ne ha," J.T. said. "I mean, hi Manny. You look wonderful too. Won't you sit down? I mean...wait you already are. Okay then. Well, you look wonderful."  
  
"Thanks," Manny said. "So I cannot believe that you two are engaged! It is so funny, because you always seemed so wrong for one another! I mean, you still do. It just makes you wonder how long this will last. You know, with so much divorce lately. Hardly anyone stays together, so how long will you?"  
  
"Uh, Manny aren't you a bit cold in that?" Emma said coolly.  
  
"Oh Emma," Manny said laughing. "I'm fine, but thanks for being so concerned. Here, lets all order champagne, to celebrate."  
  
Manny raised her hand elegantly and five waiters who had seen her come in rushed over.  
  
"Back off, she's mine," one of them growled. "I mean, this table is mine. It's in my area, so I get to waiter it. So leave."  
  
The other two sulked off.  
  
"Good evening," the waiter said, staring at Manny. "What can I get for you?"  
  
"Well," Manny said. "I will have the Chicken Marsala, and please bring us a bottle of your finest wine."  
  
"Of course," the waiter said, turning to leave.  
  
"Eh hem," Emma said. "As for the rest of us who also want to place an order, I will have the Lemon Shrimp Pasta. J.T. what do you want?"  
  
"Manny," J.T. said.  
  
Emma glared across the table and asked him what he wanted to eat.  
  
"Oh," J.T. said, flushing with embarrassment. "I will have whatever is first on the menu." J.T. couldn't take his eyes of Manny.  
  
"Are you sure, sir?" the waiter asked.  
  
J.T. nodded and the waiter whisked off.  
  
"J.T.," Emma said. "Are you aware that you just ordered a jumbo plate of cow's brains?"  
  
"Yeah, sure," J.T. said.  
  
"J.T.," Emma said. "You're not listening. Would you like me to order again for you, or do you want to order for yourselves, or do you want to eat cow brains?"  
  
"Yes," J.T. said.  
  
"Do you want me to leave?" Emma asked.  
  
"Yes," J.T. said.  
  
Emma jumped up and threw her napkin on her seat. She then grabbed her water goblet and threw it all over J.T. She then ran from the room before anyone could see her tears.  
  
J.T. was finally jarred to his senses. He realized what was going on and rushed over to the door. He also grabbed the bouquet of roses he had brought Emma and brought them with him.  
  
"J.T. just let her go," Manny said.  
  
"No," J.T. said. "I love Emma, Manny. So please, I think you should leave."  
  
Manny stayed where she was sitting, and another three waiters came over to try to comfort her.  
  
J.T. ran outside, his tie blowing in the wind. He looked around, but Emma was no where to be seen. She is gone, J.T. thought. He dropped the roses into the gutter and slowly walked away. 


	14. Perfect

Emma walked into the house and slammed the door shut behind her. It was cold ad she just wanted to go to bed. Walking upstairs, she heard her mom call her name. Emma walked into the kitchen and saw her mother sitting at the table with a plate of cookies in front of her. They were still warm.  
  
"I thought," Spike said. "That maybe tonight would be a bad night, seeing as how the wedding is only a week away. I thought you two might find something to fight over."  
  
"No wonder you are a mom," Emma said. She then burst into tears and slumped into a seat at the table. She then explained everything that had happened at the restaurant to her Mom, while she ate cookies and occasionally blew her nose into a tissue.  
  
"I thought he loved me!" Emma said, biting into a cookie. It was her fourth one, but she was hungry and upset, so Spike didn't tell her that she might not be able to fit into her wedding dress if she kept going on like this. "I really thought he cared for me. But no...as soon as someone that good looking comes along he drops me like a hot potato. I knew this was too good to last. Fairy tales just aren't real."  
  
"Emma," Spike said. "I am sure that J.T. loves you. However, J.T. is a man, and a young one at that. And when Manny came in an outfit like the one you described I don't think anyone could help but be mesmerized. So how about you give him another chance?"  
  
"No," Emma said. "I can't. This proves I can't be with him...he doesn't really care. I'm tired and am going to go to bed. Goodnight."  
  
And with that, Emma stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door behind her.  
  
That night, she dreamed that she was at her wedding. She walked down the aisle to J.T., and right when she got to the altar, Manny came walking down the aisle.  
  
"Oh, poo, J.T." Manny said. "This just makes me so upset. I can't believe you are marrying her!" And then Manny burst into tears.  
  
"Go away, Manny," Emma said.  
  
"Wait Emma," J.T. said. "Manny did say that we are wrong for one another. And Manny is always right. And...it just makes her so upset that we are together. So I think that we should call it off. I love Manny too much to upset here like this."  
  
And then J.T. took Manny's arm and they walked to the reception and ate Emma and J.T.'s cake, and danced their dance, and even opened their presents. Fuming, Emma threw her bouquet in Manny's face. The bouquet then blew up, killing Manny. Emma then ran from the room as J.T. screamed over Manny's body.  
  
"AHHHHH!!!" Emma screamed, waking up. "That was the weirdest and worst dream EVER!"  
  
Emma looked at her clock and saw that it was nine. She finally crawled out of bed and walked to the shower. She stood in the steaming water for a long time, trying to make the water clean up her broken heart. When it didn't, Emma turned the water off and stepped out. She then put on some gym shorts and an oversized shirt and walked downstairs.  
  
"Good morning," Spike said. "Emma, come here. We need to discuss the flowers that are going to be at your wedding."  
  
"I told you, the wedding is off," Emma said. Just then the doorbell rang.  
  
Emma got up to answer it. She opened the door and her eyes widened. There was J.T. on one knee and had a bouquet of roses in his hand. Emma blushed, embarrassed she looked so bad.  
  
"Emma," J.T. said. "I love you more than life itself, and if you left me, my life would be over. Please please please, Emma. I love you so much. And I am so incredibly sorry that I was so stupid and male. Please forgive me."  
  
Emma's eyes welled up with tears. She was about to say no, but she couldn't, because she knew she loved him too much. She also knew that he was sincere.  
  
"Yes, J.T., Emma said. J.T. then let out a whoop of joy and scrambled to his feet. He then gave Emma the purest most amazing kiss she had ever had.  
  
A week later, Emma was exciting the White Chapel. She was now Emma Yorke. And she couldn't have been happier.  
  
Once at the house for the reception, Emma and J.T. were in the receiving line saying hello and thank you for the well wishes to everyone.  
  
"So," J.T. said. "When do we get out of here?"  
  
"J.T.!" Emma said.  
  
"What?" J.T. asked. "Tonight is our wedding night, and I want to start our honeymoon. I can't wait to get to the ship for the cruise. I have never been to Jamaica."  
  
"Well," Emma said. "You have to be polite."  
  
Manny then sauntered up, obviously drunk.  
  
"Hey, J.T.," she slurred. "Wanna ditch this joint and then go somewhere fun?"  
  
"Scram Manny," J.T. said. Snake then guided Manny to the door and led her to the street where he put her in a cab and sent her home.  
  
"How did she get an invitation?" J.T. asked.  
  
"I have no idea," Emma replied.  
  
Finally after a few more hours of dancing and talking, J.T. walked her to the car, and they drove off to start their new life together.  
  
The End of the Story  
  
And the Beginning of a Life 


End file.
